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Using the Ultrasonic Sensor to measure fuel (DANGER) — Parallax Forums

Using the Ultrasonic Sensor to measure fuel (DANGER)

JoeJoe Posts: 184
edited 2005-05-21 20:37 in General Discussion
Hi,

I need to measure Fuel or Oil is it necesary to encapsulate
the Ultrasaonic Sensor Stock#: 28015 made in Parallax?

I think that sparks near fuel are dangerous, but If I encapsulate
the sensor I will lost the capacity to measure of the sensor.

Any help is welcome

Comments

  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-05-17 03:56
    I would seriously go out and buy a professionally made unit that is inspected, certified, etc. Designing electonics in near proximity to extremely flamable vapors is something best left to experienced engineers.

    Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 5/17/2005 3:59:34 AM GMT
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2005-05-20 15:44
    The key term here is 'engineers' [noparse][[/noparse]as in plural].

    When it comes to safety,·having many layers of people [noparse][[/noparse]with wide experience]checking and double checking are important - often necessary.· And that is why you see the additional cost for things that are certified safe in a hazardous environment.

    While I personally hate to waste money and am willing to take a chance on my own. . .·[noparse][[/noparse]Danger is my middle name]. . . , you really have to think about who else you are putting in danger.· A mere gallon of gasoline comes to an explosive equivalent of 4 sticks of dynamite if you get the air to fuel mixture right.· And ultrasound, along with heat and agitation, can be used to atomize those vapors.

    Every year in Taiwan,·I see people taking chances and other paying with their lives.· They rig cranes poorly, there are no construction barriers around work sites, concrete falseworks collapse, liquified natural gas lines blow up due to untrained welders attempting repair, and so on.

    Sadly, it also substantially lowers the cost of those goods they export and feeds the Asian Miracle [noparse][[/noparse]with lives as well as business].

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    G. Herzog in Taiwan
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2005-05-20 20:31
    How big is the tank?

    Is it in a moving vehicle or stationary?

    Why not get a normal float-type sensor used in a car's fuel tank?
    If the tank is big, just replace the arm and float with a longer assembly (possibly made of piano wire)
    Those units are after all made for this usage, and aren't too expensive, either.
    (you'll need an AD converter chip, but that's just about it)
  • stamptrolstamptrol Posts: 1,731
    edited 2005-05-21 20:37
    A safe way to measure fuel level is by using a pressure transducer.

    You pipe the transducer with small diameter pipe or tubing from the bottom (or near the bottom) of the tank to the location of the transducer. The transducer can actually be located out of the immediate area of the tank and to a location where its electrical characteristics will not be an issue.

    The output of the pressure transducer changes with level in the tank and can be calibrated to compensate for an odd shaped tank or different fuel densities.

    As G. Herzog notes, potentially explosive mixtures are common in the real world and should be treated with the highest respect.

    Tom Sisk
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